Arsenal: Mid-Season player rankings

1. Nacho Monreal

I’ll be honest here, I was not the biggest Nacho Monreal fan. Throughout his battle with Kieran Gibbs for playing time, I always wanted the injury-stricken Englishman to win out. Monreal was solid. But little more. His lack of speed was exploited at times, his distribution and crossing were wayward and wasteful, and he would be caught unawares far too often for a player of his experience and nous. So it surprises me as much as anyone else to see him sit atop this list.

Ironically, the reason for ranking Monreal as the best Arsenal player this season is the exact same one as to why I did not like him before: He is solid. Monreal has been the most consistent, reliable performer in a squad littered with uncertainty and misnomers.

Moreover, having been shifted into the wide centre-half role, Monreal’s lack of athleticism has not been targeted as effectively, and his passing is limited to easier ones into the feet of the midfielders and attackers more advanced than him. He is the perfect player to tread the line between full-back and centre-half.

Next: Arsenal: 30 greatest players in history

Very much like Cesar Azpilicueta of Chelsea, Monreal is establishing himself as the first name on the team sheet. That is something that I would have vehemently disagreed with only a few months prior. Now, I could not agree more.

(Andy: 1st; Josh: 1st)